Obituary: Hildegard M. Dunnahoo, 1925-2013

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Hildegard "Hilde" M. Dunnahoo, 87, of Colorado Springs, died Feb. 23.

She was born in Katowice, Poland, on Sept. 14, 1925, to Antonie and Robert Baranski. She, her mother and her sister escaped the invading Russian army to Oberammergau, Germany, during World War II, and there they began a new life.

She married Maj. Jack R. Dunnahoo in 1954 in Garmisch, Germany, and they moved to the U.S. in 1955. Jack was stationed in Texas, and Hilde told him that she was going home if he didn't get a transfer to somewhere with big mountains.

Luckily, he had the right connections, and they moved to Colorado Springs in 1956. They both loved to ski so in 1963 they opened The Ski Shop Ltd. in Colorado Springs, which they owned and operated until 1980.

They loved the shop and many customers became their good and lifelong friends. Hilde also enjoyed teaching her children how to ski, both of them skied for Ski Club Vail in their teens.

Jack passed away in 1977, and Hilde decided it was time to sell The Ski Shop in 1980. She had a good friend in Vail by the name of Renie Gorsuch, who talked her into working for Gorsuch Ltd.

So Hilde spent her winters in Vail, working at Gorsuch for the next 25-plus years. She made so many wonderful friends in Vail, all of whom she cherished. She loved Vail and its incredible skiing.

She skied at every opportunity and could be heard saying a loud "Woo hoo!" to her friends as she skied by in a perfect carved turn.

Hilde was an avid hiker and loved the Colorado mountains. She also loved to mountain bike and to travel with her German travel group.

Hilde will be dearly missed by all of us who knew and loved her. She had a beautiful smile, positive energy and generous spirit that she shared with all.

She is survived by her son, Stephen Dunnahoo; daughter, Patty Goodwin; and sister, Ellie Boehm.

A celebration of life will be scheduled in April for her Vail friends.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to The Colorado Trail Foundation, 710 10th St., Golden, CO 80401(www.coloradotrail.org). It was an organization that she loved.